Turkey PM Calls Twitter The Worst Menace In Social Media

Twitter was banned in Turkey just past midnight on March 20, 2014 in adherence to the order issued by the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Hours before social media users were cut off, Erdogan described Twitter as the "worst menace in social media." According to the Prime Minister, Twitter contributed to the mass demonstrations in Istanbul during the summer by helping rallying parties communicate and assemble. Erdogan said that there are currently four court orders to eradicate the micro-blogging giant in Turkey. He further said, ?I don?t care what the international community says. Everyone will witness the power of the Turkish Republic.? He alleged that the corruption scandal implicating him and spreading the word quickly throughout Twitter is a mechanism used by his political enemies. When people tried to log on to Twitter.com, they were taken instead to a statement from TIB, a telecommunications regulator in Turkey. The hashtag #TwitterisblockedinTurkey was created where people, particularly Turkish citizens, can discuss the matter and update themselves with unfolding events in the political arena. The hashtag has since generated almost one million tweets. According to Erdogan, Twitter failed to follow the court orders to remove a number of links, which left the government no choice but to completely ban the social media site. He said that he cannot allow the grievances of citizens to be aired out on Twitter, which can ultimately yield to coups and political instability. Twitter is currently looking into the issues and has released several statements on its policy feed (@policy). It has also given instructions to users on how to circumvent the ban and still use it.

Several other countries have condemned the move. Other media outfits have also gone as far as saying that the government's attempt to ban the social media platform had actually flopped on its first day. Check out the related hashtags used. The current block shows how influential Twitter or social media can be even in the political arena. People can quickly exchange information and connect world leaders with their citizens as well as the international community to discuss various topics -- and with the way the world is responding to the local government's ban mandate, it looks like it's not going to work ever (at least in this country).